I wanted to start early on the sixth day, as I was very excited about the reunion with Alfi. He's Angela's dog, my ex-landlady from Cardiff. She invited me to visit them in their hostel in West Wales during my trip.
So, lots of exciting meetings planned for the day. But, the weather got in my way... I wanted to have lunch with her and her husband, but I couldn't even start cycling from Machynlleth before 11 a.m.
That day was horrible. The worst thing I could do that day was cycling.
I started the coastline route with a very powerful storm. There weren't any nice moment; hailstones, rain and constant wind were hitting my face all day. That wasn't only the most challenging cycle, but most challenging activity of my life so far. The two things that motivated me were some fellow travellers' good luck wishes who I met on the road, and that I didn't want to fail fundraising for Ty Hafan.
While having a little break in Aberystwyth's harbour, I got literally scared of the weather. The sky was darker than the sea, and the wind was louder than my thoughts.
Fighting the wind for 10 hours, being blown off the road a few times, pedalling with all my power even downhill, I almost reached my finish line for the day with an average 6 mph speed. My hosts came to look for me on the road as I was so late, and they gave my bike and I a lift for the last 2-3 miles.
It wasn't hard to fall asleep after that apocalyptic day.
Nothing had changed when I woke the next morning. After looking out the windows and listening to the storm for about 10 minutes, I felt like it would never stop, and I would end up waiting here, in that big stone house forever, like in the Torin Horse from Bela Tarr. I decided not to ride that day, and rest on my seventh 'Sabbath'.
Luckily, I didn't have to spend all day at the window, as Angela and Paul very kindly showed me around in their beautiful, rustic hostel complex and then drove me to some hidden, secret places nearby.
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